Apparatus for treating photographic films



Jun24, 1-930. 6. c. B EIDLER 4 APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILES Y Filed Feb. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 24, 1930 s. Q. BHEIDLER 1,768 02 APPARAW FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIG rinu Filed Feb. 21,1927 4 snais-sneet 2 June 24, 1930. G. c. BE IDLER APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed Feb. 21, 132'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 glwomto'g Jun: 24, 1-930. D R 1 7,022

APPARATUS FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILES Filed Feb. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 24, 1930 states c. entree, or ace-assets, itntir i oi jx mass roe TREATING motoe marc seas Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial at. 169, 394.

This invention relates to photography, and p t y t mea for tre ti g fi m that has been photographically exposed and is in process of development-or other treats ntj i It is an object of this invention to provide means for. submerging and moving film, and the invention hasespecial reference to means for operating on films progressively as they reach certain stages of their treatment during the developing processes. 7

The commercial photographing and developing machines now in practical use have means for exposing film to light, usually 5 associated with meansi-or feeding the film from a roll into an exposing'chamber, and after exposure, moving the from the exposing chamber intoa receptacle or film treating partof the apparatus, tl i e exposed 2o portion of the being usually severed from that portion of the film in the exposing chamber. In types 01" these machines having the characteris tics just stated, .the film is developedwithin thephotegraphln 2 5 apparatus and after being developed is subjected to the action oifixing'fluid While in said apparatus and Without being transferred to an ordinary photographic dark m f a a ,7 so Films that have been photographed developed and subjected tothe fixing fluidfin the apparatus otthe commercial types now in use are usually transferred toga dark room for washing and the films are thereafter dried. A There are in commercial use, machines for Washing and drying fil1n,and an understanding of the foregoing will lead to an appreciation of the objects and advantages of this invention when it is stated that when film has been exposedand cut and then developed and delivered to a receptacle for subjecting the filmto the action fluid successively, it is desirable that the said film should remain in the fixing fluid a pre determined time, depending upon the strength of the fixing solution, Under these conditions, a number or", the films are in a receptacle containing the fixing solution and it is the object of this invention to removethe films, one at; a time, from the fluld and e ect it from the receptacle, from whence it may be taken to a Washing and drying machine; and it'is furthermore an ob ect of this invention to, produce novella- 5 means whereby the films which are superimposed in the fluid will be so ejected, one at a time, andwithout crumpling ior creasing those films remaining in the fluid.

It is a further object of this invention to to provide means for moving the film downwardly in the fluid in successive steps, -during which movement the film is under treatment tending to fix the same, and means are provided for removing the lowermost 65 of the films as it reaches a predetermined position with relation to the operating parts of the device. v p J Itisa still further object of this inven- Y tionto provide means for operating the 70 film depressing device and the film drawing means step by step and in time With the delivery of film, to the fixing fluid.

Applicant is the inventor of a film transfer disclosed in application for letters pati5 ent filed October 1925, Serial llo. 64,560, which moves film from a developing fluid to a'receptacle containing fixing fluid and in the transfer mentioned, thefilm when I deliveredto the fixing fluid floats on the fixing fluid with; a sli'ght coating of the fixing fluid on its upper surface. In thedelivery otthe m to e fix ng fl id, the, fil is caused to move over the surfaceof the fixing fluid away from the means for deliver- 5 ,ing it to the fixing fluid, and'it is the purpose of the inventor to so stationthe ap paratus of the present invention in the receptacle for the fixing fluid that the said film in its floating state will reach and come to under the influence of the aforesaid means for depressing or' moving the "film downwardly in the fixing fluid, and preferably, the device of this invention will be sta tioned inz a receptacle for fixing'fluid at or 53 near the end thereof opposite that occupied by a transfer Which delivers film to the Vith these objects the visual rela- I tion oi? the film delivery and the film reice moving instrumentalities associated with a receptacle havlng fixingfiuid, it may be stated that it is a further ObJGCt of the 1nvention to synchronize the operations of the film moving means in order that they will operate in time to accomplish the foregoing results.

7 With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 illustrates a view in perspective of a film moving and ejecting means embodying the invention; I a

Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle showing a device embodying the invention in end elevation;

Figure 3 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the machine;

Figure 4: illustrates a front view thereof in elevation;

Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of fragments of the machine Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Figure 7 illustrates a perspective View of a power transfer control;

Figure 8 illustrates a detail View of an intermittently operating power transmitting means;

Figure 9 illustrates a sectional View on the. line 99 of Fig. 8, with a tripping device in place; and

Figure 10 illustrates a detail view of certain parts of the gearing.

In these drawings, denotes a receptacle for fluid, and in the preferred use, fixing fluid is in the receptacle, and the instrumentalities of the invention, excepting the drive therefor, are assembled on a frame which may be applied to or removed from the receptacle, although this embodiment includes only the preferred form of the invention as so far developed. En d frame plates 16 and l'l' areassociated with a connection, here shown as an angle iron 18, which extends from one plate to another and which is secured thereto in any approved way, to produce a rigid structure. Journal bearings 19 and 20 are secured to the element 18 and the shafts 21 and 22 are journaled in the respective bearings. The shafts 21 and 22 are respectively provided with wheels 23 and 24, engaged by wheels 25 and 26, respectively on a shaft 27; The

. wheels 25 and 26 are set on opposite sides of the shafts 23 and 2 and rotate the shafts in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction,

- wardly inclined as at 31 so that the plates constitute guides on which films are supported while traveling in their exit or discharge from the receptacle.

Shafts 32 and 33 are journaled transversely of the frame members and they extend through the vertically disposed plates 29. Rollers or sleeves 34 are applied to the shaft 33 between the plates and other rollers or sleeves 35 may be applied to the shaft 32. Conveyor belts or bands 36 may be provided in appropriate number for the purpose 1ntended, but preferably at least one should be located under or approximately under a conveyer 28. The rollers on which the belts are applied may be slightly less in diameter than the other rollers in order that the supporting surfaces of the belts and the peripheries of the other rollers will be on the same plane.

A shaft 37 is ournaled transversely of'the frame in a plane above the shaft 33 and friction wheels 38 thereon haveperipheries which normally engage the rollers 34; immediately thereunder. Preferably the wheels 38 have rubber faces 39 for increasing the friction on the film which is to be moved by them when rotated. It will be seen from'an inspection of the drawing, and especially Fig. 3, that the wheel 38 operates at the junction of the horizontal and inclined surfaces of the plates 29 and they assist in drawing the film from the receptacle and forcing it up the inclined surfaces of the plates or guides. /Vringing rollers 40 and ll are journaled in operative relation to each other in such location with respect to the guiding plates that they will receive film in its travel from the receptacle and press the fixing fluid therefrom in order that it "synchronous action of the said device and the film pretreating instrunientali ties, a shaft 43 of the roller ll is provided with a wheel 44 engaging a Wheel l5 and the wheel 45 drives a wheel 46,'which in turn drives a wheel 47. The shaft 48 of the roller 40 and the shaft 43 are geared together as at 49,

and therefore, they rotate, in unison when wee-see the shaft 43 is *driven by power from any suitable source. The driven wheel 4-7 is on the shaft 2'7 and it is free to rotatethereon without communicating motion to the shaft, butfprovi's'ien is made for communicating its motion to the shaft intermittently. As a means for intermittently rotating the shaft 27, the wheel 47 has a sleeve 50 and the sleeve has a tooth or lug 51011 its periphery. A disk'52 is secured on the shaft 27 and it has a pin 'exteii-ding from its side toward the wheel 47. The'pi'n 53 acts as a pivot for a dog 54 having a nose 55 adapted to engage the tooth 51, although it may be held out of engagement therewith when the armor extension 56 of-the'd'og comes in contact with a control rod. 57. The control rod maybe moved to release the dog, and when so: released, itwill engage the tooth 51' and cause the motion of the wheel 47 to be communicated to the shaft 27 through the disk which is. secured on the shaft 27. The

operating rod 57 consists of an angularly disposed portion of a rod 58 which is partially rotatable in the frame structure, and an arm 59 thereon may be actuated by any suitable means for moving the rod with relationto the dog, with the result that the shaft .27,may be alternately driven and arrested.

The arm 59 may be controlledfrom a photographing and "developing apparatus and made to operate eachtime a print is produced, for by this means, when developing instrumentalities are employed in connection with the photographing machine, a film canv bedelivered'to the receptacle 15 at the top of the fluid, while another one which has remained in the fixing fluid during the cycles of operation necessary to transfer the film from the top to approximately the bottom of the fluid in the receptacle, may be removed from the receptacle.

The wheel 45 is rotatable on a stub shaft 60 and the wheel 46 is secured on a shaft 61 journaled transversely of the frame. A wheel 62 is on the shaft 61 on the inner side of 'theplate or frame member 17 and it engages and drives a wheel 68 on the shaft 37, so that by this means, the friction wheels 38 are rotated. The peripheries of the friction wheels are in engagementwith the rollers 34 that are secured on the shaft 83, and therefore, the friction wheels turn the shaft 33 and this serves to operate the conveyers or belts 36 for removing film from the bottom of the receptacle as it is deliveredto the conveyers during the successive operations of the screw conveyer. I The screw'conveyer orsubmerger has a plurality of helically arranged film engaging plates or convolutions which are operative to receive the edges of filmsand move themjdownwardly in the fluid as'rotary motion. is imparted to'the conveyer. The top of each conveyer isp'rovided with aflared mouth to facilitate the entrance of the film to the space between the uppermost lead of the conveyer and the one succeeding itfand from the fact that the conveyors arerotated in opposite directions and toward the sides of the device, they will operate to maintain the film in a flat state. I r v From what has been stated of the --n1nctions of the elements as they have been'described, it is believed unnecessary to present a resume of the operation, but briefly it may be stated that film delivered to a receptacle containing fixing fluid would preferably have the fixing fluid on a level with thesecalled mouths of the conveyers in orderfthat film floating on the fixing fluid would move into the zone of operation of the con'veyers. The shaft 43 may be continuously or intermittently driven, and when driven,it"will, through the gearing described, cause the operation of the friction wheels and 'they'w'ill rotate the shaft 32 and this in turn will operate the conveyer belts 36 for mo'ving'film discharged from the sub'n'ierg'i'ng conveyers to the means for discharging film from the receptacle. Since it is desirable to have the film remain in the fixing fluid a predetermined tirne, provision is made for intermittently operating the submergi'ng'conveyers,

and therefore, at each operationof the submerging conveyers, the films will be moved, step by step, downwardly in the fluid until they reach the lower ends of the submerging conveyers where they will be under the influence of the belt conveyers "and ejected from the receptacle.

It is shown in the drawing that'the plates 29 are supported on their edges by a plate 64- having a rib 65 and the rib is channeled to form seats in which the plates are located.

The nose 55 of the dog is forced into engagement with the lug 51 by a spring 51 when the rod 57 is operated to release" the dog. In Fig. 9 the relation of parts is shown as they appear just prior to the tripping of the dog through its comingin; contact with the said arm 57, it being understood that if the wheel 47 is turned in the direction of the arrow, it will carry the extension '56 of the dog against the end of the rod'5'7 and disengage the nose of the dog from the said tooth, and therefore, the drive to the shaft 27 will be interrupted. Ifthe'rod 57 is swung downwardly past the extension of the dog, the spring will again force the nose of the dog into engagement withth'e tooth and the shaft 27 willagain be driven. By this means the shaft 27 is intermittently controlled. ,1

I I claim; 1. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means therein for engaging successive "films and moving" them downwardly in the fluid, and

means for successively removing each film when it reaches the lowermost position.

2. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means associated therewith for receiving films and .moving a plurality of films downwardly 7 when it reaches the lowermost position.

4. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means associated with the receptacle and operative to engage the superimposed films when in horizontal positions in the fluid and move them step by step downwardly in the fluid simultaneously, and means for successively removing each film when it reaches the lowermost position.

5. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, helical film moving means to which the edges of films in the fluid are delivered, means for rotating the helical film moving means for moving the films downwardly inthe fluid while in approximately horizontal positions, and means for removing the successive lowermostfilm from under the superimposed film.

6. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle having fluid for receiving successive films flatwise on its surface, a device having means for receiving the edges of the films and operative to move the films downwardly in the fluid and releasing films successively, and means for removing the films from the receptacle as released by the said means.

7. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid and to which films are delivered flatwise in said fluid, helical film moving means to which the edges of the films 'are delivered while in the fluid, means for rotating the helical film moving means whereby the films are forced clownwardly in the fluid, and vmeans for removing successive films from under those contained in the fluid.

8. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means for engaging portions of superimposed'films in the fluid and moving them step by step downwardly in'the fluid simultaneously and freeing them successively, means for removing the freed film from the receptacle, and means for operating the last mentioned means in time with the freeing action of the said mechanical means.

9. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid and to which films are delivered superimposed and flatwise,

-means for engaging films and holdingthem separated, means for moving the films successively downwardly in the fluid and successively releasing each film when it reaches the lowermost position, and means for re moving the released films from the fluid.

10. In a film treating apparatus, a r'eceptacle for holding fluid andto which films are delivered superimposed and flatwise,

'means for engaging films and holding them separated, means for movlng the films successively, downwardly in the fluid and successively releasing each film when it reaches the lowermost position, means for removing the released film from the fluid, and means for timing the action of the last mentioned successively when it reaches the lowermost position, including means for displacing fluid from the film in its travel from the receptacle.

12. In a film treating apparatus, tacle. for holding fluid, mechanical means in the receotacle comprising a frame, helical film engaging means, means for rotatably mounting the said engaging means with its axis approximately vertical, a conxeyer under the engaging means for receiving films released thereby, and means for driving the helical film engaging means and the conveyer in time for removing films delivered by the helical film engaging means from the fluid.

13. In a film treating apparatus, a rcceptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means in the receptacle comprising a frame, ahelical film engaging means, an' approximately vertically disposed rotatable shaft on which the engaging means is secured, film discharging mechanism comprising a roller and friction wheels coacting therewith, means for delivering films under the helical film engaging means to the said roller, means for operating the helical film engaging means intermittently, and means for discharging moisture from the films in their exit from the receptacle. v

14. In a film treating apparatus, a receptacle for holding fluid, mechanical means therein for engaging successive films and moving them downwardly in the fluid, means for intermittently operating thesaid mechanical means, and means for controlling the intermittent operation thereof.

15. In a film treating apparatus, means for progressively moving horizontally poa recepsitioned superimposed films downwardly in 7 a receptacle, and mechanical means coacting therewith for removing the lowermost of said films from the receptacle when it reaches the lowermost position.

16. In a film treating apparatus mechanical means for moving horizontally positioned films downwardly in a receptacle and releasing said films and mechanical means coacting therewith for removing the released films from the receptacle.

' GEORGE C. BEIDLER. 

